Together we stand (orginally 'Harry Potter and the unlikely friend')
by scomichehasdied
Summary: What if Draco had sat next to Harry on the train? What if Harry just let the hat sort him where it wanted? Would things have been different? Could the 'boy who lived' and a child born into a family of death eaters really be friends?


**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Harry Potter, it belongs to J.K Rowling. I don't really know what I'm supposed to include in this, but just know that I do not take credit for the Harry Potter books or movies. Thanks.

 **A/n:** I have updated this chapter to include the rest of the sorting and feast, as I figured it didn't make sense to separate them. Unless otherwise specified characters have been sorted into their original house. Anything underlined is a direct quote from the book.

* * *

Draco stood in front of the mirror, glaring at his reflection in exasperation. His main focus being the awful hair style his mother had insisted on that morning, slicking it back with copious amounts of gel. He thought he looked like a right ponce and refused to be seen like that in public, much less on his first day of school. Leaning over the sink, he put is head under the tap and proceeded to wash out the gel, drying his hair roughly with a towel he stood up straight to admire his work, feeling much more at ease with the new hair style (which was slightly ruffled and stuck straight up, search 'Tyler Oakley' to get an idea) he declared loudly that was ready to go. Exiting his room, trunk in hand with Artemis, his eagle owl, perched proudly on his shoulder he made his way downstairs and into the living room where his mother and father stood, waiting impatiently.

"Come now Draco, you're going to be late for the train" his mother said in annoyance as she placed her hand on his shoulder, apparating them directly onto the platform, his father arrived with a quiet 'pop' seconds later, turning his nose up in disgust at the number of muggles around them, many seeing their children off for the first time and staring in wonder at the sights around them. Narcissa was as equally disgusted to be in such close proximity with all those muggles, however she did a better job at hiding it. Sighing quietly in annoyance at his parents obvious prejudices he bid them goodbye and immediately set off with his trunk and Artemis to look for a compartment, not even caring when they didn't reply and instead disappeared with a small 'pop'.

Stepping onto the train he had little hope of finding an empty compartment, as it was 10:50, and opted for the first one he saw, inside sat a small boy, clearly a fellow first year. He had jet black hair, striking green eyes and pale skin. The boy looked up at him warily, as if expecting an attack.

"Mind if I sit?" He asked, already reaching up to put his trunk in the luggage compartment.

"Uh, sure" replied the raven haired boy, seeing that Draco had already answered that question for himself.

Sitting down Draco thought he should introduce himself

"I'm Draco Malfoy" he declared, thrusting out his hand for the boy to shake.

"Harry Potter" came the boys reply as he accepted Draco's handshake.

"Are you really?" exclaimed Draco in surprise, "Sorry, it's just that I thought the Potter's were fairly well off" he explained eyein the boys worn out, oversize clothes. Blushing furiously, Harry hastily explained that he'd grown up with his muggle relatives, and that he'd only just learned of magic and that he was a wizard a month ago, and how he hadn't had time to buy any clothes.

"That still doesn't explain why you're wearing clothes ten sizes to big."

"Don't worry about it" said Harry glumly "it's no big deal - I deserve it anyway." he muttered under his breath. Draco let the issue drop for now, not wanting to pry and risk losing his new friend, but privately vowed to get to the bottom of this.

Grabbing a pair of neatly folded pants and a shirt from his trunk, he offered them to Harry.

"Here" he said gently, eyeing Harry's ragged clothing in disgust "put these on, I won't let anyone I know be seen wearing that."

Harry stammered his thanks and hastily got changed as Draco turned around to give him some privacy, however just as he was declaring that he was dressed the shirt got caught on something for a fraction of a second, allowing Draco to catch a glimpse of his stomach, which was covered in scars and bruises, some obviously fresh.

"What on earth happened to you!" He gasped "did those muggle do this to you?"

"What? No!" said Harry hastily, "I-I'm really clumsy, you know tripping over lots and stuff."

Sensing that he was lying Draco set the issue aside for now, adding that to his list of 'Potter mysteries' (as he had dubbed them) to get to the bottom of. Much to Harry's relief Draco dropped the issue and turned the topic to Hogwarts, telling him about the four houses and explaining Quidditch in thorough detail. Harry listened in earnest, soaking up every bit of information he could about the wizarding world. Both boys spoke for hours about the differences between the muggle and wizarding worlds, only stopping when the food cart stopped by their door.

"Anything from the trolley dears?" the lady asked kindly.

Harry couldn't help but stare in wonder at the number foreign sweets in front of him, and Draco chuckled at the sight whilst he made his purchase, opting for some cauldron cakes, a pumpkin pastie and a chocolate frog. Not knowing what to get Harry purchased one of everything, except for the liquorice wand, he didn't need to try that to know it would taste horrible.

"Somebody's hungry" said Draco teasingly.

"Shut up" came Harry's reply with a smile "I gotta learn about the wizarding world, and that he includes the food, wanna share though? I probably won't get though it all" he said with a laugh.

"Sure" replied Draco and the two spent the rest of the ride stuffing their faces with sweets and chatting about anything that came to mind.

* * *

 **HOGWARTS ENTRANCE HALL - JUST BEFORE THE SORTING**

"Draco" said Harry sounding worried, "we'll still be friends right, even if we get sorted into different houses?"  
Of course" he replied "I'd never stop being your friend over something as mundane as a house rivalry."

The boys had grown close on the train ride, bonding over their excitement at the prospect of learning magic and their enthusiasm for Quidditch, even though Harry had never played the sport before.

They stood at the front of the great hall, each student wondering what house they would be in as they were sorted in front of the entire school.

"Malfoy, Draco" called McGonagall. Draco walked swiftly up to the stool, allowing McGonagall to place the hat atop his head, covering his eyes at it slipped down.

"Hmm interesting" came the voice of hat, speaking inside his head "another Malfoy, all before you have been in Slytherin, yet I notice you are different Mr. Malfoy. Perhaps it is time for tradition to be broken?"

"No!" protested Draco franticly, any house but Slytherin and my parents will disown me before I can say 'sorting hat', it's the only option" he finished glumly.

"Protecting your own hide, how very Slytherin of you Mr. Malfoy" the hat said with something akin to a chuckle.

"Yes, okay okay, please just sort me. People are starting to whisper" thought Draco to the hat miserably.

"Very well then Mr Malfoy, better be SLYTHERIN!". The hat shouted this last part to entire hall, everyone clapping politely as he made his way over to the Slytherin table, sitting at the end of the table his back to the wall, he turned his attention back to the sorting, and waited nervously for Harry's turn.

All too soon McGonagall was calling "Potter, Harry" and a hushed silence filled the hall, everyone waiting eagerly – in Draco's case, anxiously – to see which house would welcome the boy who lived.

"SLYTHERIN!" shouted the hat to the shock of the entire hall. People were shocked, and they were doing nothing to hide it, whispers breaking out across the hall.

"Potter, a Slytherin?" queried one Ravenclaw merely sounding curious.

"Maybe he's Dark after all" muttered a Gryffindor student darkly to their neighbour "how else did he defeat you-know-who?"

"Dammit" sighed the Weasley twins in resignation as they each handed Lee Jordan a Galleon, as was their nature they'd bet on which house Harry would be in, the twins beting Gryffindor and Lee betting Slytherin.

"SILENCE!" boomed Dumbledore from the head table, "the Sorting Hat has sorted Mr. Potter and that is final. Professor McGonagall, if you would like to finish the sorting." said Dumbledore, gesturing to the few remaining students as he sat back down.

Harry had gone and sat down next to Draco, feeling extremely self conscious at the whole situation. He had been extremely shy and often anxious as long as he could remember, sometimes even suffering anxiety attacks when under pressure in social situations.

"Hey, you alright?" asked Draco gently, nudging him to get his attention.

"Wha- oh yeah fine. Just um, zoned for a moment there" replied Harry.

"- feast begin!" announced Dumbledore grandly to the staff and students. Neither Draco or Harry had heard Dumbdore's comedic start of term message - Harry being preoccupied with trying to ignore all the stares and whispers, and Draco glaring at anyone who tried to talk to Harry, unbeknownst to him, seeing how stressed the boy was.

There was a collective gasp from the first years as all the dishes filled with food before their eyes. In their minds the selection was delectable, roast chicken, lamb and pork, mashed potatoe, steak and kidney pie, Yorkshire pudding, roast vegetables, a dozen different salads, pumpkin juice to wash it all down, and for some odd reason, mint humbugs.

"Welcome to Slytherin Potter" said an older boy shaking his hand kindly, "Terrence Higgs fifth year prefect and seeker for the house team. I must say I didn't expecte to see you here, in fact I don't think many people did"."

"uh, thanks?" said Harry not quite sure how to reply.

"Wells he's the perfect Slytherin of course" said Draco, jumping to Harry's rescue. "I mean, how much more cunning can you get than being sorted into the opposite of house of what everyone would expect?" he asked with a laugh, not expecting an answer.

"The poor old lions must be fuming" chipped in Blaise gleefully. "Look at Weaselbee over there" indicating Ron Weasley, who was glaring daggers at the Slytherin table, namely Harry's area

"Weaslewho?" a confused Harry asked.

"Weasley" replied Blaise. "Seven kids, dirt poor and all bloody Gryffindors."

"I do feel sorry for them" admitted Draco

"How could you feel sorry for those filthy blood traitors?!" asked Pansy incredulously , butting into their conversation quite rudely.

"Well it's not the kids faults they were born into that family. Although it would serve Weaslebee well to lose the attitude."

Their conversation was interrupted when all the food disappeared from their plates to be replaced immediately by the desserts. Blocks of ice cream in every flavour imaginable, plum pudding, creamed rice, fruit salad, cauldron cakes and so much more. Everyone eagerly loaded up their plates and the rest of the meal was spent in silence for the Slytherin first years as they enjoyed the sweets.

* * *

"If I could have your attention please" proclaimed Dumbledore, standing as the tables were magically cleared of food. "I have an important start of term announcement, so it would serve you well to listen. The third floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. With that said, time for bed everyone, prefects please escort the first years."

"He's joking right?" said Harry frantically, Draco by his side as they rushed to catch up with Terrence Higgs as everyone simultaneously rose and began making their way out the great hall.

"Dunno" replied Higgs "he didn't mention anything to us prefects."

Harry and Draco just shared a bewildered look as they followed the rest of Slytherin to their common room and new home for the next seven years.

The first year Slytherin boys walked into their dorm for the first time. There were six four-poster beds lined up against the wall, each had a green and silver privacy curtain and their trunks were already at the foot of the bed. Harry was closest to the door, followed by Draco, Blaise, Theodore Nott, Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe. They were also supplied with house scarves, beanies and gloves, now that they'd been sorted, and the Slytherin crest had magically been added to their school uniforms. They also had an en-suite, which had six showers with a dozen different taps each. Harry secretly vowed to try each of them.

Their initial excitement at being at Hogwarts had died down, for now, and each of them quickly went to bed, snuggling under the covers in the chilly dungeons and falling asleep almost immediately.

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 **A/n:** That's the first chapter done and dusted, more are on the way. Please feel free to follow, favourite or review, it means a lot and might just cause chapters to come out faster. For now I will probably release one-two chapters a week. Thanks for reading. :)

 **Published:** April 27 2018  
 **Updated:** April 29 2018


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